I’d love to know what you’d actually want more of.

A few glimpses of what each lane could look like. All part of the same world, just seen through different lenses.

Thanks for taking a minute to vote.
It helps me figure out what comes next and how to keep this evolving.

Have a great week,

Benny

Looking back at these frames reminds me how scattered and disconnected the past few years have been.
Work took me to most of these places but the camera gave me reasons to pause and keep a piece of each one.
Ending on that quiet campsite in Australia feels right, a small reminder of home after all the miles.

Thanks for reading and for following along.

Cheers,
Benny

Hey all,

So this post is about a week late. The week got away from me, but I think it worked out for the best, because it’s landing in your inbox today, on my birthday. Seemed like a fitting day to look back on an amazing chapter of my life.

Back in 2019, my wife Sofia and I had this crazy idea. We started a YouTube channel called Nomad Effect, built out our old 2005 Ford Escape, and drove it across the country right from our garage in Red Hook, Brooklyn.

I recently shared a little 'best of' reel on Instagram with some clips from the trip, and the response was pretty wild. It made me realize how many photos from that trip have never properly seen the light of day, and how much I'd love to do it all over again.

We told the story in episodes on YouTube, but this is the director's cut. The story behind the story, with the photos that never made the videos. So, here it is.

Part 1: The Build

It all started in our tiny garage in Red Hook, Brooklyn. Sofia and I had this crazy idea to escape the NYC grind, build out our beaten up 2005 Ford Escape, and drive it across the country. The reality, of course, was a four month emotional rollercoaster of learning how to fix rusted out metal, fighting with stuck hubs, and constantly running to the hardware store for more tools.

Part 2: The Road

After a frantic final week building a custom roof rack and packing up our lives, we finally left NYC around 8:30 in the evening. No dramatic look back at the skyline, just a quiet escape that was immediately followed by an hour of being stuck in roadworks traffic. A classic NYC send-off.

The Westward Push

That first leg of the journey was a blur of long, straight roads. Our first real stop was the Indiana Dunes on Lake Michigan. From there, we pushed west and stayed at a cool Hipcamp in Nebraska, right in the middle of a horse field.

But that first big push didn't end with a sunset. It ended with our Ford Escape on the back of a tow truck in Breckenridge, Colorado. We were stuck there for about a week waiting on parts. Not exactly the dream, but once the car was fixed, we got to explore the mountains, and it was incredible.

This email is getting a bit long for most inboxes. To see the rest of the photos from the Desert Southwest and the journey back east, click the button below to read the full post online.

See the Full Road Trip Story

The Desert Southwest

The next chapter was all red rock and desert heat as we dropped into Utah. This part of the trip was less of a plan and more of a series of happy accidents. We rolled up to Monument Valley late one day, not realizing there was a time cutoff for camping permits, and ended up accidentally camping in the middle of the Valley of the Gods. It was one of the most incredible, unplanned nights of the whole trip. We finally made it into Monument Valley proper the next day, which was just as epic as you'd imagine.

Our next mission was to hit the North Rim of the Grand Canyon. I'd never been to the more famous South Rim, so I don't have a comparison, but the North Rim was incredible. After the canyon, we spent time in the Kaibab National Forest before heading to Lake Powell for a couple of nights

The Journey East

After the desert, we started the long journey home. We headed back up into Colorado to drive through the Rocky Mountain National Park, then pushed north into Wyoming to see Cheyenne and the Medicine Bow National Forest. The landscape flattened out again as we drove toward one of the weirdest roadside attractions in America: Carhenge, Nebraska. From there, we did some offroading before pushing north toward South Dakota.

Our path took us to the banks of the Missouri River, but we didn't hang around. The flies were insane. The final leg was a blur, cutting through Minnesota to Milwaukee, then dropping down through Indiana and Michigan before we finally booted it all the way back to NYC.

Part 3: What’s Next

Looking back at these photos, the nostalgia is intense. That trip was a huge chapter for us. We eventually made it back to NYC and upgraded to a "new" car, a 1989 FJ62 Land Cruiser, to continue the project.

And that’s where the story is right now. That new car is still sitting there, waiting. I still have those same dreams of reigniting the Nomad Effect project. To be honest, I haven’t posted on Instagram since that reel in July. My focus has shifted, and writing these emails and sharing these deeper stories here on Substack has become my main creative outlet.

I don't know when the next trip will be, but I know that chapter isn't over. Thanks for being here for the journey.

Cheers,

Benny

Back then, the company I was a partner in did all the content for The Surf Lodge out in Montauk. To be honest, I had a real love/hate relationship with the place. The drive from the city was brutal, and while it was the spot for celebrities, it could get pretty messy. I spent nearly every summer weekend there for years for work, so I was pretty over it. But, it holds a place in my history for one big reason: I met my now wife there a year after this shoot.

On this particular day, we were shooting a multi-angle video of Gary and his band. I was also grabbing stills on the side. The performance was insane. I still watch the video we made pretty often.

But the photos were a different story.

The gear I was using that day was my old workhorse, a Canon 1DmkIV, a model that was actually discontinued back in 2012. That camera was still a beast, with focusing that’s better than some cameras today. But with the sun setting right behind Gary and being stuck in a huge crowd, I was pushing the technology of the time to its absolute limit. To get a usable shot, I had to crank the ISO way up, which left the photos with a ton of digital noise.

I edited a handful at the time, and one of them is still in my portfolio. But the rest were a different story. The noise was so heavy that I knew it would take days of painful, manual editing to make them look decent. So they sat on that hard drive, untouched for almost a decade. I figured they'd never see the light of day.

Until today, actually.

I’ve been playing around with the new AI tools in the Adobe suite, and the Denoise feature is a game changer. It’s not a perfect magic button. It couldn’t help the shots where I missed focus or had too much motion blur from a slow shutter speed. But for the noisy, dark images, it was the key that finally unlocked this entire lost shoot. What would have taken me hours of manual work a few years ago now takes seconds, you still have to dial it back so skin and other details don't look unrealistic but it really works.

Here’s a look at what I was dealing with. The Denoise is now just a simple checkbox in Adobe Camera Raw, but it makes a huge difference. I still did all my usual manual edits to the brightness, shadows, and highlights, but the AI handled the impossible part. On the left is the original noisy file from 2016. On the right is the final, rescued version.

Suddenly, this entire lost shoot was unlocked. I spent a few hours going through the rest, and it felt like rescuing a piece of my own history.

Here they are. The lost tapes from that sunset show in Montauk.

It makes me wonder what other moments are just sitting on our hard drives, waiting for the right tool to bring them back to life. I might spend the next week going through my own looking for more pots of gold.

For all the new subscribers, thanks for being here.

Cheers,

Benny

I was a pretty bright-eyed Aussie back then, just moved to Williamsburg. It hit me pretty quick that Manhattan looks best from a distance anyway, so living in Brooklyn suited me just fine. That rooftop was my spot. My escape.

The after-work ritual was simple. Grab a six-pack of Coronas, head up to the roof, and just watch the day end. Honestly, a sunset over that skyline never gets old.

But it wasn't all sunsets and beers. That rooftop was front row for the crazy snowstorms, too. I’d go up there just to watch the city get completely buried under a blanket of white. Everything would go quiet. A totally different beast.

Now it’s 2025.

I haven't lived in the city since the end of 2019, but it feels like a lifetime ago. I was driving up to a job in Massachusetts recently and saw the skyline from a distance, and the nostalgia hit hard. I don’t know if I still have that same wide-eyed energy about the place, but I’m grateful for the perspective that kid from Australia had.

Maybe I’ll do a print run of one of these soon. Let me know if you’d be into that.

Cheers,

Benny

The project brought together student designers from top schools like FIT and Parsons, who worked under the mentorship of fashion icon Anna Sui. They weren't just creating beautiful clothes; they were solving real-world problems with things like magnetic closures and thoughtful cuts. Anna said something that night that perfectly captured the feeling in the room: “When I think of fashion, I think of expression: really showing what you have on the inside on the outside.” That was exactly what I felt from every single person I photographed.

The portraits I shot that night are some of my favorites because they're so filled with confidence and joy. I could write a lot more, but I'd rather step back and let the images speak for themselves.

Revisiting these photos, which I've never actually shared before, has been a powerful reminder of what a defining experience this project was for me in New York. It opened my eyes to the world's largest minority, a community any of us can join in an instant. I don't know if it made me a better person, but it made me a more aware one.

Maybe that's the whole point of this work. Not shouting, but seeing. Thanks for being the reason I finally put these out there.

Till next week.

Benny

That breakthrough, my very first feature, came not long after I moved to Miami in late 2019. But the story of that shoot took another turn, one that taught me more than any publication ever could. And it’s where this look back begins.

I’m incredibly proud of every one of these shoots. Together, they make up my complete C-Heads collection so far. I see them as a part of a larger map on my journey as an artist, a foundation that has paved the way for the stories I want to tell next.

So, below are the seven stories. Each with a link (or in one case, a story about a missing link) and a memory from beyond the grid.

1. The Girl off the Street (2020)

It was wild to just find the original text that was published with this series, my first for C-Heads.

That shoot was one of my favorite times behind the camera. I met her while shooting a street style campaign for IMG, and she had such a presence that my own client thought I’d hired a professional model. When the pandemic hit, we did a test shoot that felt like we were two people with one brain. Getting it published on a site I admired so much felt like a massive win.

So, I have to be honest. When she reached out some time later and explained that she had grown as a person and no longer felt connected to the images, I was torn. In truth, I didn't want them taken down. I loved this work and what it represented for my career. I could have handled it better, but I dragged my feet for a bit before passing her Christine's contact info to have the gallery removed.

Time gives you perspective, though. Looking back, I see how my reluctance went against my own values. It wasn't that I didn't understand her position, because I did, even at the time. I just put myself and my attachment to the work first. It ended up being a powerful lesson: people and their journeys are more important than pictures. The real "Beyond The Grid" story here isn't just about the magic of creating the work, but about the complicated, human process of learning to act on your values, even when it's difficult.

2. Juxtaposition (2020)

Here is the link to the full published feature on C-Heads.

I remember this shoot with Viktoria Gabrysiak being a total race against the light. We found this location late in the afternoon with only a short window before the sun disappeared, so there was this great sense of urgency to everything we did. The best shots came from those last few dramatic moments. It’s amazing how that kind of pressure can lead to some of your favorite work.

3. Sometimes Things Just Align (2021)

Here is the link to the full published feature on C-Heads.

The title of this series really says it all. This shoot with Adriana, which we originally did for my friend’s swim brand Kobu, was one of those rare, magical days where everything just worked. The light was perfect, the location was quiet, and Adriana had this incredible, gentle presence that the camera just loved. There was no struggle, no rushing. It felt less like a photoshoot and more like we were just hanging out having a drink, but with a camera involved.

4. Sun-Kissed Mimi in Miami's Summer (2023)

Here is the link to the full published feature on C-Heads.

This shoot with the wonderful Mimi Goodwin started with a simple plan. We used a friend's beautiful house as our location, but the real magic came from the collaboration. Mimi has so many cool ideas and is so comfortable in her own skin, which makes the whole process feel incredibly natural and creative. It ended up being a fast paced afternoon, as we were rapidly chasing the golden hour light while it moved across the property. It’s a good lesson that you don't need a complicated concept when you have a great collaborator and you work quickly with the light you're given.

5. Getting to Know Alexis (2023)

Here is the link to the full published feature on C-Heads.

Anyone who has met Alexis Santiago knows she has this incredible, positive energy, and my main goal for this shoot was just to capture that. We had such a fun, easygoing day. When I sent the photos off to C-Heads, Christine's reaction was proof that we succeeded. She decided to interview Alexis for the piece because her personality really shone through in the images. The result is a feature that feels like a true collaboration, part my photos, part Alexis’s own words.

6. Amidst White Sands and Turquoise Seawater (2024)

Here is the link to the full published feature on C-Heads.

Sometimes you just get to work with people who are pure sunshine, and that was exactly my experience with Ashley Thompson. She is just one of the nicest, coolest people. We were talking during the shoot and she told me she’s a twin and was born right here in Miami, which I thought was so interesting. Her warmth and energy made the whole day effortless, and I think that beautiful, positive spirit is what really makes this series shine.

7. From Another Time (2024)

Here is the link to the full published feature on C-Heads.

This shoot was a true collaboration between friends. It was my second time shooting with Alexis Santiago, and her energy is always incredible. To make the day even better, the amazing Adriana Canals, another friend and model from this collection, did all the styling. The three of us had such a fun and easy day working together. It really felt like we were all on the same creative page, and I think that warmth and friendship is visible in the photos.

What a trip down memory lane. Thanks for diving into these seven stories with me.

If you want to see these shoots in motion, I have a bunch of BTS videos saved on my Instagram that you might not have seen before. They really capture the feeling of each of these days.

I'm really excited about the creative path I'm on now, and it means a lot that you're here for the ride. Hope you'll stick around for what's to come.

Best,

Benny

There's no strict timeline here. Just five frames that still pull me in.

This frame is of the incredible artist CJ Hendry. We had just wrapped up an interview in Manhattan for a creative project. For our shoot, she was generous enough to walk through the city in her pajamas so I could capture photos and video.

While we were taking a break, she grabbed a coffee. I saw the potential for a quiet portrait through the cafe window and began shooting. I love this photo because even though the situation was planned, this specific moment was not. There was no posing, just a quiet minute captured through the glass with the city reflected around her.

I am a big fan of her and her husband Lewis. They are truly lovely, down to earth Aussies, and this image always reminds me of that authenticity.

Here is another portrait from that same creative series in New York. I took this photo of Ben Van Leeuwen right after we finished our interview. I wanted to capture him where it all started, with his truck. He was so hands on and passionate about the product.

I was in New York recently, and I was blown away. It felt like there was a Van Leeuwen shop on every other block. The brand is massive now.

Seeing their success made me come back to this picture. It feels like a time capsule, a snapshot of the founder right before the company exploded. It’s a quiet portrait of the person behind what has become a phenomenon.

You can probably tell from the photo, but this shoot with actress Pallavi Sharda was ridiculously fun. It was one of those days where any plan you thought you had goes right out the window, in the best way possible.

We were wandering the street after she had just been dancing on a random rooftop for me. We stumbled upon this parked fire truck, and it seemed the only logical thing to do next was for her to climb inside. She was completely up for it, of course.

This was back in early 2017, so it's been cool to see her pop up in some huge TV roles in Australia since then. I love this frame because it’s a perfect snapshot of that day's energy. Just a fun, spontaneous moment without any pretense.

This is the legend, Dion Lee. I took this portrait after our interview, looking out over the city from his studio.

Like a lot of people, I was gutted to hear the recent news about his brand. It really changes how I see this picture. He looks so focused and thoughtful here. It feels like a quiet moment with a true visionary, captured years before things got so difficult.

It is a sharp reminder of how brutal that industry can be, even for the most immense talents. I'm still hoping for the best for him.

Of all the things you expect to find in Grand Central Terminal, a professional squash tournament usually isn't one of them. But every year they build a glass court in Vanderbilt Hall for the J.P. Morgan Tournament of Champions, and the whole scene is pretty wild.

I went along to photograph fellow Aussie Cameron Pilley, seen here lunging for the ball. Shooting fast moving sport is always a fun challenge, but doing it inside one of the world's busiest train stations is something else entirely. You have the squeak of the shoes and the roar from the crowd, all mixed with the ambient chaos of the city just outside the glass.

It is one of my favorite uniquely New York experiences.

And that's it. Five frames from my New York chapter that still pull me in for different reasons. Thanks for taking the time to read the stories behind them.

For the more polished, day-to-day stuff, you can always find me over on the Instagram grid.

See you next time.

Benny

The photos still hold up. So does the feeling;

WHAT DO YOU MEAN THERE’S NO INTERNET??

But how will anyone know I’m having a good time without any Instagram updates?

Cuba, welcome to the land of no internet.
A foreign concept to me, but surprisingly, a welcome relief after my initial wtf?

My first interaction with the country was a grueling hour of heavy questioning from Cuban customs, in Spanish, which made me second-guess my flippant decision to ‘hop’ over from Mexico. Fair to say our five cameras, two laptops, two iPads, and two iPhones didn’t go down so well in a communist country. But once inside the city, Havana was much more forgiving, and I was won over instantly.

The nostalgia from the crumbling walls, the warmth of the people, the ever-lingering cigar smoke... it's a place that's hard to resist.

Not to mention the women are beautiful, and there are quite a few fun waves around.

This is just a small selection of snaps I took.
Welcome to Cuba.

That was 2014. Now it’s 2025 and the WiFi’s everywhere, but I still think about those empty streets, hot light, and how good it felt to not be reachable.

Maybe I’ll do a print run soon. Let me know if you’d be into that.

Benny

It wasn’t a big campaign. Just a quiet morning on court with a few friends of the club, who also happen to be incredible players, to create some content. We started early, before the heat kicked in. Just a few shirts, a few hats, some product from our brand partners, and the rhythm of the game.

The edit is black and white, not how it’ll live on the brand’s feed, but how I wanted it to feel. Stripped of the vibrant colors in the outfits so the Miami Racket Club crest could stand out.
Not polished. Just honest.

Some of the hats you see here are part of the current collection, others were one-offs or shoot-day stand-ins. The shirts are available now, along with our four current hats: black, navy, maroon, and a members-only green.

Shop the drop → HERE

More soon. But for now, here’s something current.
Thanks for being here.

Featuring: Charles Bertimon, Sibi Soumahoro, Clara Pérez, Vanessa Foltinger & Max Mora
Shot on Key Biscayne. Styled with Miami Racket Club kit. Edited in black + white, because why not.

It was 2013. I was working for Mambo, the proudly irreverent Australian surf label known for its loud shirts, anarchic energy, and a history of saying whatever it wanted, about politics, war, religion, and just about anyone. The brand had built its name on unapologetically masculine humour and a refusal to take anything (especially itself) too seriously.

That summer, we were running the Mambo Goddess campaign, the women’s line that had been around for years but was getting a fresh push. We cast Ashley Hart and Barbara Palvin as the faces of the campaign, two women with very different energies, but both equally unforgettable.

Barbara wasn’t famous-famous yet, but she was close. She had that energy, the kind of face you remembered, and the kind of charisma you couldn’t really direct. Lucky for us, she was also completely up for whatever weird ideas we threw at her.

Fashion? Marketing? Performance art? Hard to say. But it happened.

Why a Gorilla?
To tie all of our summer campaigns and activations together, we came up with a concept that was part lo-fi mascot, part red herring, and 100% chaos: a man in a gorilla suit photographed all over Australia doing regular things, skating beachside paths, walking someone’s dog, digging the Mambo Jaguar out of the West Australian dirt.

We treated the gorilla like our new “ambassador.” We didn’t explain it. Just started dropping these images on our social feeds with the hashtag #goingbananaz.

Some people thought it was a celebrity collab. Others guessed a surfer or DJ. No one expected Barbara Palvin in a bikini. That was a pretty good punchline.

The Shoot
The shoot itself was equal parts sunburn and spontaneity. We shot it on Venice Beach in LA and kicked things off with Barbara in the gorilla suit. Ashley peeled it off her, like she was peeling a banana, to reveal our new ambassador.

Barbara had no questions. No complaints. Just slipped it on like it was part of the wardrobe pull.

We shot her in the suit and in swimwear. Sometimes both. The result was surreal, funny, and weirdly fashion-forward. The kind of thing that would probably get watered down by brand guidelines now.

Back then, we just ran with it.

Looking Back
It’s easy for me to romanticize this era in my life, but honestly? It was kind of magic. I’ve been chasing that feeling in my career ever since I left Australia.

The campaign was nonsense, but it was our nonsense. It didn’t rely on polish. It relied on people buying into the absurdity. And they did.

We had a hashtag before hashtags really meant anything. We had a rising supermodel in a gorilla suit. And we had a creative brief that basically read: Don’t let the truth get in the way of a good story.

Below are some of my images. These ones never really made it to Instagram.

But that’s the point.

This is what it looked like when we were still figuring it out.

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No gorillas were harmed in the making of this campaign.

Till next week.
Benny

The collaboration included a full capsule collection, runway presentations, and an event that went far beyond just shipping boxes.

I was brought on to produce the video and interview series that told the story behind the campaign—working with IMG, stylist Ugo Mozie, and UPS CMO Kevin Warren to help shape how this all came together. It was one of those rare times where a global brand put real weight behind what they said, from investing in In the Blk to spotlighting designers whose work deserved a bigger stage.

We shot behind the scenes, interviewed the team, and followed the designers as they brought their visions to life. I loved the energy of this one—less about fashion week hype, and more about purpose, people, and how good ideas can move just as fast as packages.

Here are a few moments from that week.

From the designers to the team behind the scenes, everyone brought something special to the table. It was a reminder of how creativity can drive change—one package at a time. Stay tuned for more behind-the-scenes insights from future projects.

Benny

Carl Barron - NYC

Shot in Williamsburg back in 2016, this was part of a portrait series I did of Carl while we wandered the neighborhood.
I don’t know if it’s because I grew up watching his comedy or if it’s just something about his face—but I was in stitches the whole time.
His off-the-cuff commentary as we walked was so natural and sharp.
Still one of the funniest shoots I’ve ever been part of.

Georgia Fowler - NYC

We were filming a short video on the rooftop of The James Hotel in SoHo, and it was one of those perfect New York days.
Georgia’s incredibly self-aware—she knows exactly how to work the camera, and can turn it on in a split second.
This shot, snapped as she was getting out of the pool, felt effortless on her end.
All I really had to do was make sure the lens cap was off.

Here’s the video if you’re interested: CLICK HERE

Jessica Hart - NYC

This was taken in Jess’s (very fancy) New York apartment while she was getting ready for a film premiere.
She drew the heart on the mirror with her lipstick, and I shot her reflection just as she was putting the cap back on.
The lighting was awful—yellow and almost nonexistent—and I remember silently hoping my high ISO choice wasn’t going to ruin everything.
But somehow, it worked. Jess is the only thing in focus, and that pensive little moment makes the whole frame.

Liv Tyler - Abu Dhabi

I took this during one of the Etihad Airways Runway to Runway shoots. Liv was a guest at the event we were attending, and I was honestly just excited to meet her.
Turns out—she’s a total legend.
This was shot at night in the Louvre Abu Dhabi, with her lit by one of the architectural window lights you can see in the background.
I’ve never been big on event photography or using a flash, so having a clean light source like that was a gift.

Zoe Cross - Sydney Australia

I was shooting a video profile on Zoe and we stopped for food in Chinatown. On the walk back to the train, we spotted a few police cars lined up.
Zoe, wearing her “gas station, speed dealer” sunnies, looked hilariously suspicious—so we joked about it, and she jumped in front of the cars for a quick shot.
Like Georgia, Zoe’s self-awareness is next level. Even now, I’m still amazed at how many different looks and emotions can come from one face.

That’s it for this round.
I’ve got stacks more in the archive and I’m looking forward to sharing more soon—no real theme, just moments I’ve loved capturing over the years.
Thanks for following along.

Benny

I’ve shot Miami Swim Week on and off for a few years now. And every time, I find myself looking for the shot that feels against the grain. The one that’s happening behind the main show—the moment all the other photographers are too busy to notice because they’re chasing the same thing as the person sitting next to them.

Because the truth is, while the final images look slick, the real scenes behind the camera are anything but. The heat is suffocating, the humidity fogs your lens, and you’re constantly navigating around other people with their own agendas and chaotic schedules.

There’s a reason most of my favorite shots from Swim Week are the ones no one asked for—the candid laughs, the off-guard looks by the pool, the moments caught from behind the model or between the crowd. The messy, human moments in between all the polished ones.

That’s the part that keeps it interesting for me. Finding a way to make images that feel a little rough around the edges, even in the middle of the most over-the-top event in the most over-the-top city.
And as much as I might grumble about the chaos, the truth is I’ve met some of the best humans at Swim Week. The photographers, the models, the people behind the scenes.

It’s not the perfect stuff that keeps me coming back—it’s the people, the chaos, the connections and those unexpected in-between moments.

Until next week.

Ben

The project was called Runway to Runway—airport runway to fashion runway—and it was exactly that.
Planes, backstage chaos, early mornings, fittings, hotel lobbies, and long haul flights all through my lens.

People used to ask what it was like traveling with models, hanging out for probably more hours than you should with someone you just met. But honestly, I loved it.
Getting to know the person behind the face you’ve seen in global campaigns or walking the world’s biggest runways—it reminded me that behind all the glamor, there’s just a person with nerdy hobbies and mostly the same aspirations as me or anyone else.

I never shared much from that time, but I shot a lot.
Here’s a look back.

Some of these moments were chaotic, others were surprisingly calm—but they all happened in the in-between.
Not on the runway, not in the campaign. Just before. Just after.

It feels good to finally share them.

Benny

Not because I stopped caring about it, but because I live in Miami now—and good waves are pretty much non-existent unless you’re willing to brave a freak storm. These photos are from the years I worked with an Australian surf company, traveling to places with proper swell. The surfers weren’t random—they were either ambassadors for the brand or some of the best in the world.

Surf photography became my favorite thing to shoot. I always tried to frame the scene first—make the ocean and the coastline look beautiful on its own—and then let the surfer move through it. Clean, simple, and a bit pulled back. That was the goal.

Looking at these again makes me miss it.
The ocean, the smell, patiently waiting and watching surfers patiently waiting for ‘the one’.
Just being there, waiting for something good to happen.

Dug these up recently—still some of my favorite days with a camera in hand.

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That’s it for this one.
I’ve got plenty more stashed away, so stay tuned for the next drop.

Benny

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I’m kicking things off with a trip I took back in March 2017. I was in Peru with Conscious Commerce—a company co-founded by Olivia Wilde—to document how alpaca wool production is evolving in the highlands. These images have never been seen before… Until now.

From Lima to Colca Canyon

We started in Lima, then made our way up into the mountains through Arequipa, and eventually into Colca Canyon. The landscapes were wild and beautiful, but this wasn’t a sightseeing trip—it was about understanding the realities of an industry that often feels worlds away from the stores and runways its products end up in.

One of the most eye-opening parts was learning how the farmers are being educated on wool color genetics. The simple idea that mating a black alpaca with a black alpaca will reliably produce black wool—and that this matters deeply to the U.S. fashion industry, where certain natural shades are more desirable—was something many had never been taught before. Same goes for white on white. It sounds basic, but for generations, wool color was left to chance. Now it’s becoming a strategic choice.

But the most complex part of the trip wasn’t about animals—it was about people. The traditional gender roles in these remote communities are shifting, slowly and not always smoothly. Women are beginning to earn real income from garment production, taking on work that used to belong solely to men. That’s creating tension. In a few places, we had trouble interviewing women because their husbands were visibly uncomfortable or outright refused. There’s pride, but there’s also resistance. Change isn’t always welcomed, even when it’s necessary.

This wasn’t just a story about wool—it was about identity, power, and the slow, uneven march of progress.

Eight years later, these photos still sit with me. Maybe even more now than they did then.

This was the first story I knew I needed to tell off the grid.

Thanks for reading Beyond the Grid, Vol. 01. Next up: something closer to home.

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